Valley Fever?
by tonyangst
Summary: Tony is sick, but will a misdiagnosis place him in danger of being the next victim of a serial killer? If you are interested then please read.
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Valley Fever**

**Disclaimer: They belong to CBS and the people who make all the money off this great show, and that would definitely exclude me.**

**Setting:Three weeks after a case in Arizona.**

**Tony's Condo**

**The sound of thunder awakened him from his fevered dream, it was summer and storms were common in the early morning hours.**

**His eyes seemed sticky as he attempted to pry them open in the darkness of his room, the lightening outside flashing through the open window, making its way through the small slits of his eyes. He still felt tired, and as he finally was able to focus, he noticed the time, it was only 03:00. He still he had a couple of hours to sleep but he felt sick, a cough had developed through the night, chills and possibly a fever.**

**As he sat up to reach for the bottled water, which was sitting on his night stand, he felt a wave of dizziness, followed by a wave of nausea, then his feet quickly found the floor as he ran to the bathroom. He threw his head down over the toilet then emptied the contents of his stomach, which wasn't much, but it was still painful. His appetite the night before had been spoiled by a murder case, one with lots of blood, death and gore. The team would be busy today with sifting through the evidence and test results, he was sure Abby had stayed at her lab for the night, with only Bert there to keep her company.**

**As his shaky hand reached up to flush the contents of stomach into the sewer, he pulled humself up using the sink as his bar hold. When he established his balance at the sink he began to wash his face and rinse his mouth out with something strong, the acrid taste of the harsh bourbon and _a well over its due date date_ pop-tart still lingered in his mouth, along with the after taste of vomit, it was a cacaphony of bad breath making combinations.**

**As his eyes looked into the mirror he noticed the dark circles that had formed underneath his eyes and the reddened color of his cheeks,_ guess I do have a fever_, he thought to himself as he turned off the water and reached for the mouth wash.**

**He finished his business and left the small bathroom, as he walked back into the bedroom he felt notably weaker and sicker if that was possible. The storm outside was still raging, the sounds of thunder and the vibration of the room indicated that whatever was happening outside was more than just a summer storm, it was probably filled with wind warnings and tornado watches, it sounded bad.**

" **Guess I need to make sure I'm not about to get blown away." he mumbled to himself as he flipped the television on and changed the channel to a local weather station, turning the sound up slightly so that he could hear from the bed. He was tired though, bone tired, weak and regardless of what type of weather was going on outside the desire to sleep won the battle and he drifted back off as he lay on top of the sweat stained sheets.**

**NCIS**

**Bullpen**

**07:30**

**Gibbs sat his desk waiting for his team to arrive, a team he had directed to be at the office early to go over the details of the new case, a case involving a murder of not only a marine but the family included, even the dog. He was concerned that they had happened upon a serial killer, it had all the markings, even down to items missing for each member of the family, trophies for the killer. He needed his team, he needed to get to work, this was going to be a rough one, for all of them.**

**He glanced at his watch again as the elevator chimed, they were finally here, he looked up to see Ziva and McGee but Tony was notably absent. **

"**I told you McGee, he was acting weird last night, Tony had a date." Ziva was angry at her partner for telling them he needed to get home to feed his cat, he didn't even have a cat.**

**Tim reached into his pocket and pulled out a twenty, " Guess I won't give him the benefit of being honest with us again." Tim sat down his things at his desk then walked around to his computer, quickly booting it up so that he could get started on what would be a very busy day.**

**Ziva pocketed the twenty and also took a seat, wanting to get on with the day, seething inside that Tony was probably still with whoever he took to bed the night before.**

**Gibbs didn't even ask, he knew they didn't know where their partner was from the conversation, so why even ask. He stood up to give them the file when he again heard the elevator chime**

**and out walked his second in command, looking rather apologetic.**

"**Decide to join us DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked, wanting to move on with the case.**

"**Sorry boss." The only words he spoke but even they were raspy and a slight cough escaped his throat, his team members all looked at him as he had contracted the plague again. He waved them off though, and took a seat.**

**As Gibbs approached his senior field agent he noticed several things about the man who was running late, first were beads of sweat on his forehead, the other were reddened cheeks and the third was the sound of audible wheezing in Tony's chest.**

"**McGee, Ziver, I need all the information you can muster on Gunny Sargent Allen Taylor, his friends, his enemies, his barber ,his dog's barber, I want everything!," he commanded in his best military voice.**

"**DiNozzo, with me!" he motioned for his second to follow, which without question he did.**

**Gibbs took the stairs, he knew if Tony was having a major problem that he would be short of breath before they reach the autopsy lab and he was, but he attempted to hide it but it was no use, Gibbs could hear him wheezing.**

"**Boss, need to go to the head." he said in a winded voice as they reached the autopsy bay.**

"**First, let's see Ducky, then you can go, we have a case." he wanted Ducky to hear what he was hearing, wanted him to see what he was seeing and he knew Tony was attempting to ditch him and find a way to get back to his desk to a hidden inhaler Tony had stashed away in his desk years ago.**

**Tony reluctantly followed but he quickly heaved in a good breath before entering, silently wishing to himself that the wheezing would automatically stop, but instead it got louder in the enclosed autopsy room. **

**Ducky was facing the table with the dead Gunny's wife laid out, her autopsy was the last one and the most brutal, her body ravaged by the killer. Palmer was assisting , his back also turned but within minutes the sound of Tony attempting to get his breath had caught their attention and both men turned to find their frined bent at the middle, his face evidence of the difficlty he was having getting in a good breath.**

"**Anthony, are you okay son? You sound horrible!" Ducky had already made it over to Tony's side and guided him to the next room, the one where all the dead bodies were neatly stowed away out of sight.**

**He thought about lying, it would have been easier than telling the truth but he felt horrible, actually he hadn't really felt this bad since he had the plague, he needed to tell Ducky the truth.**

"**I have a cold, I think." the words seemed simple enough but the smell of the formaldehyde clinging to Ducky and Palmer's clothes caused his nausea to raise its ugly head again and he was looking for the trash can, which Ducky quickly found for him.**

"**Palmer, get me my medical bag from the office." he directed as he and Gibbs held onto to Tony's shoulder as he continued to vomit into the trash can, but the medical examiner quickly noted that the contents of Tony's stomach was mostly clear fluid and gastric acid, a sure sign th at Tony had been vomiting prior to this episode. He was probably in need of fluids as evidenced by his dry skin and pale color.**

"**Are you in any pain Anthony" Ducky asked as he pulled out his stethoscope when Palmer returned to his side, taking Ducky's place holding onto Tony.**

"**My lungs feel like they're on fire." he was able to get out between the dry heeves.**

**Ducky listened carefully to each lung field and noted the raspy sounds of course rhonchi as well as the tight wheezing sounds emininating from Tony's lungs. He looked over to Gibbs and shook his head, there would be a fight but they would have to win it, Tony needed a hospital.**

"**My dear boy, you are having a breathing problem, something that needs immediate attention from the sounds of your lungs." Ducky started, Gibbs stood ready to chime in at any moment but they were both surprised when Tony spoke.**

"**I do need a hospital." It was almost a plea. His head now resting against the cool metal of the storage unit.**

**Palmer knew what to do next and he moved into the office to do it, he dialed 911, Tony needed a breathing treatment and fluids as soon as they could get them started.**

"**Tony, when did the symptoms start?" he asked, remembering that Tony was acting strange at the crime scene the night before, the cool rain and the late night hours were probably didn't help his condition, he felt like a fool for not noticing.**

"**Last night around supper but worsened during the night." he admitted, wondering even to himself why he was being so forth coming with information? His only other thought was _he msut be sick_.**

**Gibbs and Ducky quickly made a table available for Tony to lie down on, to rest his tired form. That's when Ducky notice the blue tint to Tony's lips and the rash that was developing on his neck and face.**

**Palmer reappeared with an oxygen tank, the tubing and a face mask, then quickly he set it up for his friend. When the O2 mask was put in place Tony started to appear less cyanotic around the lips, he seemed to be doing slightly better. Ducky reached down and turned the oxygen intake to five liters, a rather high number but it was effective in relieving Tony's shortness of breath.**

"**What is it Ducky? What's wrong with me?" Tony asked as he closed his eyes, Gibbs strong hand on his shoulder giving it a squeeze.**

"**I'm really not sure but I assure you Anthony that we will find out soon with the assistance of your pulmonologist Dr Pitt." Ducky attempted to ease the young man's fears as he continued assessing his patient. He found a thermometer then placed it into Tony's ear and waited for the number to appear and when it did it even surprised the forensic doctor, one hundred and four point two."Oh dear, we do need to get you to a hospital soon."**

**Gibbs looked down at the reading on the aural thermometer and knew that it wasn't going to be good for his agent, _his friend, but with Tony things were never easy._**

_**Reviews are always welcome...more to come tomorrow. Also. How about another chapter of Relapse? It's about time.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Title: Valley Fever**

**Disclaimer: They belong to CBS and the people who make all the money off this great show, and that would definitely exclude me.**

**Setting:Three weeks after a case in Arizona.**

_**Bethesda Hospital**_

**The ambulance trip to the hospital was filled with several tense moments. Tony's oxygen sats fell several times causing the paramedics to swith over to a face mask and to start intravenous fluids. The paramedics had threatened to intubate twice and Tony was only able to halt their actions with a rallying response to their minstrations.**

**Gibbs never left his second's side though, staying with him even as he had entered the ambulance, still with him now as he entered the emergency room. His gruff voice could be heard above all the monitors as he demanded that Dr Pitt be called immediately.**

**Ducky knew that Gibbs was hell to deal with when one of his own was hurt, ill or in danger but he was ten times worse when it came to Tony. Was he just being an overly protective boss or being the surrogate father to the son he had adopted ten years ago during a case in Baltimore? The connection had been made during their first case and had never been lost between these two men, regardless of their disagreements they respected and cared for each other.**

**He could hear the desperation in Gibbs' voice, the pain of seeing Tony sick again radiated through his commands which could be heard as he demanded that someone get his second in command immediate assistance. He was in pain, a pain that only a loving father could have for his child.**

"**Jethro, I just spoke to Dr Pitt, he is unfortunately out of town but his partner Dr Christina Sanders will be here momentarily, she will give the details to Dr Pitt after she assesses our dear sickTony." Ducky explained as he reached his friend, who seemed quite distressed. **

**Tony was receiving his second breathing treatment, the first had been given on his trip to the Emergency Room. His head was elevated on the stretcher, his eyes closed. It was as if he was just concnetrating on breathing. A portable xray machine entered the small cubicle and they were ushered out for a film to be taken of Tony's chest, the nurses had already started him on different IV fluids and drawn blood.**

**The Respiratory therapist was now at his side, prepping Tony's wrist for a blood gas, it would be a painful test but one that was needed. As the needle struck the artery he moaned audibly but he did not flinch, he did not want to be stuck again.**

**The tests were now completed and Tony seemed to be breathing better as he lay on the stretcher, his head still elevated as Dr Sanders entered the cublicle, it had to be her, she looked like the most confident person he had ever laid eyes on, her long legs evident by the short lab coat covering a black evening dress, her red hair pulled up in a curly bun, her blue eyes staring down at one of Tony's many medical charts, the result of his mulitple visits over the years.**

"**Anthony DiNozzo?" her voice was calm as she talked to her patient. Ducky and Gibbs stunned into silence at the appearance of the drop dead gorgeous doctor.**

**Tony looked over and couldn't help but to smile, Gibbs was really going to like this doctor visit. Then he was shaken from his inner thoughts of Gibbs getting a possible date out of all of this by Gibbs impatient voice. "Forgot your name DiNozzo?"**

"**No, Boss. Yes, it's Anthony DiNozzo, but you can call me Tony." he attempted to smile through the face mask.**

"**Oh boy." Gibbs mumbled, loud enough for only Ducky to hear. "Even sick that boy will still flirt."**

"**Can't blame him can you Jethro, she is beautiful." Ducky whispered, then turned his attention back to the seriousness of the situation before them.**

**Gibbs could not help but to grin, Tony was just being Tony.**

"**I read that you're having problems with your breathing this morning. Dr Pitt has informed me of your health history, it's pretty extensive and very impressive." She had already placed the stethoscope into her ears and was assessing his lungs now. Tony knew if he talked he was be hushed so he just concentrated on breathing deeply for his beautiful doctor.**

**As doctor Sanders removed the stethoscope from Tony's chest she continued to assess his swollen glands and the rash which seemed to have spread over his arms and legs, a blistery type rash filled with yellow pus.**

"**Have you traveled recently Mr DiNozzo, I mean Tony?" she corrected herself, wanting to put her patient at ease. She was thinking that the rash might be the biggest clue to what was going on with her patient though.**

"**He was in Arizona three weeks ago on a case." Gibbs interrupted, knowing that Tony might not give all the information himself. **

"**Hmmm, interesting. Arizona? " She asked, her diagnosis could be contingent on the answer given.**

"**It was just for a day." Tony hated Arizona, just for the very reason that he had been there and got the Valley fever before.**

"**I'm going to run a few tests but from your health history and given the fact that you were in Arizona recently I would say that you have Valley Fever." She started writing down some notes and new orders for her patient.**

"**Not again." Tony mumbled, he hated it the first time he had it and knew he would hate it even more the second time. McGee should have gone with Gibbs this time but got excused when Vance needed him on a cyber case. Damn his luck! Damn McGee! Damn the Valley Fever!**

" **You had it before?" Dr Sanders questioned as she reached over to check the rash again with gloved hands.**

"**A long time ago." He felt a little pouty right at the moment, not even the beautiful woman could get him to see this as a positive in any way, but at least it wasn't the plague again.**

"**Well. It looks as if you have it again. I'm going to admit you and start you on IV Amphotericin B and watch your pulmonary status. I will also give you something for your nausea and vomiting." she smiled over at her patient as she wrote the admission orders. She could not help but to think that this man might be a runner, as soon as he started feeling better he would hit the door against medical advice, so she wrote a sedative order to be administered around the clock until further orders were written.**

**Tony rolled his eyes, too sick to argue but knowing that he would as soon as he started feeling better. His stupid diagnosis was Valley Fever or better known in the medical world as ****Coccidioidomycosis. **_**He hated being sick, the team needed him.**_

**Waiting Area **

**The word was out, Tony was in the hospital. Now the waiting area for the emergency room was filled with his friends, McGee, Abby, Ziva and Palmer. They paced around the room wondering what had happened to their friend, the information they had received was sketchy at best, _Tony was having difficulty was taken to the hospital._**

**They had been here before, at least McGee and Abby had been, Palmer had barely known Tony at that time, the time of the plague, and Ziva was still in Israel. The memories were still fresh for those who had thought that Tony would die.**

**Abby stood at the door waiting for Gibbs to appear, he would come and inform them about Tony's situation, _that, _she knew for sure. Gibbs would not allow them, her, to worry for a very prolonged time.**

**It wasn't long before Ducky appeared at the door instead of Gibbs. He seemed to be in good spirits though and as he explained Tony's diagnosis to the group they seemed relieved. _Almost assured that it was nothing fatal._**

"**They will be taking Tony to his room soon but the doctor had him medicated with a sedative and wants him to rest. The more rest he gets the sooner he will get better and get to return home and soon after to work." Ducky explained, hoping to get the point across that Gibbs wanted them to go back to work, they had a case to solve, a serial killer on the loose.**

**They all nodded in unison, all knowing that they would return after office hours to visit, but all knowing the importance of finding the killer who was slaughtering families.**

**Room 363**

**Progressive Care Unit**

**Tony had been transferred to the rather large room filled with monitors and cables that snaked underneath his newly acquired gown. How he got into a gown was still a mystery to him, he had evidently slept through it though, he must have been drugged, he wondered who had pushed for that order, Gibbs or Ducky.**

**A new IV also adorned his arm and a nasal cannuli now was in place instead of a mask. He actually was breathing better and the rash seemed to not be so the nausea was still there at least he wasn't vomiting, he hated that feeling worse than the soreness in his chest from all the coughing and vomiting the night before.**

**Am older nurse whose name tag read Agnes entered the room with a bag of yellow fluid, he recognized it from before, it was the Amphotericin B and he knew his stomach would not be settled for very much longer.**

" **Mr DiNozzo, you awake?" Agnes' voice showed her surprise that the man was able to open his eyes given the dose of Ativan that he had been given.**

"**Drugs effect me differently, guess you will have to put up with me." he gave her a weak smile/**

" **I do have other drugs in my arsenal if needed young man, so don't try me, I just want you to get better." She smiled at him and gave him a wink. After hanging the fluids she reached down and adjusted his bed covers then exited the room, switching off the light before leaving.**

**Tony turned over to face the window, another storm was about to hit the city, the dark clouds were rolling in, it would be a long evening.**

_**So Dr Sanders thinks it's Valley Fever but is it really? With Tony a diagnosis is never that easy...is it? Thank you for the great reviews, you have gone and spoiled me now.**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Gibbs sat in a chair across the room from Tony's bed, he had witnessed Tony's reaction to being in the hospital again, but what Tony didn't realize was that he was still there with him and now he watched as his senior field agent finally slept, a second dose of the sedative had done the trick. He just hoped that Tony would stay and finish his treatments before pushing the medical staff into making him leave before his time.**

**Tony had a knack for pissing off the medical staff, he seemed to be able to do that with most people, a trick he had learned a long time ago as a child probably. He more than likely used it as a defense mechanism for fending off those who could or would hurt him.**

**He knew about Wendy, he knew how she had died and silently he was glad that Tony wouldn't be working this case, it would be too difficlut for the man who knew what it was like to lose someone you loved to a monster.**

**He looked down at the file, Ziva and McGee had done their research into the family dynamics of the Gunny Sargent's life and that of his family. It fit the profile of the last family murdered just days before in Tennessee. Trophies taken from the victims, the Gunny's purple heart, the wife's wedding ring, the teenage son's senior ring and the daughter's most prized American Girl doll. The killer had even taken the dog's identifying collar tag. **

**This killer seemed to be the worse kind, he lacked emotion, compassion and yet he seemed to be bright, educated, almost brilliant in how he performed the murders.**

**Could they be dealing with a doctor, a surgeon, a medical professional? He seemed to know how to remove the organs of his victims and to altar them, and reinsert them with accurate precision.**

**There were no connections noted to the last family who had died in a similar fashion, except for the fact that the father was a Marine.**

**The sound of retching got his attention and he laid the file down and went to his senior's side, he grabbed the pink basin and assisted Tony in getting his mouth over it to empty the yellow gastric acid in his stomach, no food particles at all, the emesis was void of anything except the acid in his stomach.**

**Tony was still groggy and he worried that he would aspirate the vomit into his lungs. He carefully reached over and hit the nurse's call light but the door was already opening, Tony's heart monitor giving off a loud alarm down the hallway.**

"**Oh my, I knew this was coming." Agness announced as she entered the room, she was prepared, syringe in hand. "I'm going to give you a shot honey, it will help you fill better." she soothed as she pulled the gown away from Tony's hip, swabbed it with an alcohol pad then pushed the needle in with precision, emptying the contents then removing it in one swift motion.**

" **Is the IV medicine causing him to throw up?" Gibbs asked as he assisted Tony into a comfortable position, his darkened eyes never opening, and within seconds he was snoring softly again.**

**Agnes was discarding the needle and checking Tony's monitor leads as she nodded an affirmation to Gibbs, the combination of the disease and the medication would keep his stomach in knots for the next few days. "Afraid so dear, but it will get better, it will just take time." she answered in a whispered tone.**

**He nodded his thanks and took his seat across the room again as Agnes fussed over Tony for a few more minutes. When she left the room she closed the door, the lighted hallway vanished, the room again filled with Tony's raspy respirations and his soft snores. Gibbs picked up the file again then under the dimly lighted lamp he squinted his eyes and finished reading the report.**

**NCIS **

**Bullpen**

**Tim had finished questioning the neighbors earlier in the day and had just finished writing up the interviews for Gibbs when he noticed that Abby was standing at his desk with a folder in hand.**

" **It's the results of the blood DNA at the crime site McGee. All the blood belongs to the family, he didn't leave us a damn clue, not one little morsel of a crumb for us to be able to get a clue to who this monster is and it infuriates me." Abby slammed the files down on McGee's desk, thirty-six hours without any sleep and the constant stressful moments were making her job much more difficult than usual.**

**She was angry, a rare emotion for Abby to experience and even more rare for Tim to witness.**

"**Listen, we just have to keep looking Abs, he will make a mistake, they all do." Tim attempted to comfort his friend, knowing inwardly that this killer was smarter than the usual killer and that he seemed to be trained in forensics, medical practice and in the art of throwing off the officials. Their job would be difficult at best, they would need a break in this case, and he suddenly missed his partner more than ever. Tony had a real knack for seeing the_ not so obvious_ and that is what they needed on this case.**

**Even though she appreciated his attempt she was not comforted all, the thought of him doing this to another family made her infuriated. The man had a blood bath with this family, and she wanted to keep it from happening to another.**

**Ziva was gathering her things, she wanted to visit her partner before calling it a day. Gibbs had stayed with Tony all day, she knew he must be in need of coffee or food, probably both. "I'm going to the hospital, does anybody want a ride?" she asked as she grabbed her keys.**

"**Tell Tony I'll be there later, I need to run a few more tests on some of the evidence found in the daughter's room but I'm coming." Abby stated as she turned to leave to go back to her lab when she suddenly stopped, "Tell Tony that Sister Ann sends her regards." Abby did not turn around, she just disappeared into the stairwell.**

**Tim stood and grabbed his bag, his rain coat and the files that were lying on his desk, Gibbs would want to see what they had done during the day, he hoped that a clue lay somewhere in the witness statements or possibly in the evidence that seemed to be coming up empty. Maybe Gibbs would see something they couldn't.**

**Bethesda Hospital**

**Room 363**

**Tony had vomited twice since the last episode and he seemed to be running a fever again, his nurse seemed concern enough to call Dr Sanders and now the room was filled with medical personnel.**

**He again was getting a breathing treatment and his retching episodes were causing an exascerbation of his wheezing and coughing fits. The breathing treatments were also raising his heartrate and causing his hands to shake, both side effects of the breathing treatments. He was the sickest Gibbs had seen him since he had experienced the Y Pestis. Tony was pretty damned sick.**

" **Brad, Tony isn't doing so well with the current treatment, is there another route we can take?" Dr Sanders was talking to Brad on her cellphone again as she walked out of the room, out of the hearing reach of her patient and that of Gibbs.**

"**Dammit DiNozzo, you do sick terribly." Gibbs spoke it to himself but Ducky was now standing in the room and overheard his friend's frustration.**

"**He does give us a bit of a challenge." Ducky replied as he walked over to Gibbs' side.**

" **He never could follow a direct order. All he has to do is try to get better and he seems to be failing miserably at it." Gibbs slammed the file onto the table, the nurse seemed to effected by the outburst but not in a negative way, she too seemed honestly upset that her patient was having so much difficulty.**

**Dr Sanders reentered the room, a look of determination on her face, "I'm going to change the antifungal medication to Diflucan, it has less side effects and I also want to start him on a steroid for his lungs." she announced to the nurse and the respiratory therapist. " Also, let's change over to Xopenex instead of the duonebs, less stress on his heart." She looked down at the chart and raised her head one more time to give orders, "If we haven't got a sputum culture yet, let's get it, and also we need blood cultures, I want to make sure we touch on all the bases."**

**The staff got to work, making the changes, attempting to get their patient comfortable, performing tests.**

"**Sounds like they have a new plan." Gibbs seemed comforted by the new changes.**

**Ducky just nodded his head, knowing the changes weren't that drastically different from what he was getting, but he hoped for the best. Tony deserved a break.**

**Two hours later**

**Tony looked like hell, his skin was covered in the bright red rash and most of the sores were oozing the yellow drainage, respiratory had just induced a sputum sample, the process had not been a pretty sight and now he lay on the bed, limp, his face still flushed with fever even after being medicated with acetominophen.**

**Gibbs looked over at his second and couldn't help but to wince inwardly, Tony was sick, very sick. His mind raced back to the blue lights, the repetitive breathing treatments, the breath taking coughing fits and mucus plugs, severe headaches, nausea and vomiting from the antibiotics that were strong enough to fight the double pneumonia he was left with after the Y Pestis finally killed itself with the suicide chain. **

**There were multiple nights without sleep for either of them, this disease in comparison was worse in some ways, at least he didn't have to suffer with the horrid rash which were accompanied with frightening nightmares that were making him scream into the room. He wondered silently what Tony was dreaming, what terrible creatures had crawled into his senior's mind.**

**His thoughts were interrupted by the sudden appearance of Ziva and McGee. They walked into the room took one look at their friend and turned to Gibbs, their mouths gaped open, a look of horror on their faces.**

" **Valley fever." he answered their unspoken question.**

**Ziva shook her head, " This Valley fever, it is fatal?" she asked, scared for her partner.**

**Gibbs shook his head, "They caught it early, he'll be fine in a few weeks but this is the hard part."**

"**He looks uncomfortable." McGee added, feeling bad for the man who ribbed him constantly, the man whom he thought of as a brother.**

"**He is my dear boy, more than all us probably know. The second time around is usually a lot worse than the first. The only thing that is good for our dear Tony is that his doctor has chosen to keep him medicated to allow him to rest." Ducky strolled into the room, he wanted to give Gibbs a coffee break and also inform him of the results of the autopsies, his arms were filled with files.**

**Tim turned to assist Dr Mallard with the load of papers and then quickly took a seat across the room, far away from where Tony lie on the bed, helpless to assist his partner in any way.**

**Ziva seemed more curious and stepped closer to the bed, wanting to see Tony up close, wanting to let him know that she was there for him, he was after all her partner, her friend.**

**Tony's eyes opened just a bit, enough to allow him to see the Israeli woman and he gave her a small grin, " Bad?" he asked, his voice raspy from the recent sputum collection trauma.**

"**I have seen you look better Tony. How do you feel?" she reached out to touch him but the slightest touch to his sensitive skin seemed painful and she withdrew her hand.**

"**I feel...like hell." he answered, tiny balls of water beading down his face, his hair soaked in sweat, his eyes shining with fever.**

"**You need to get better Tony, we have a case to solve and your assistance is greatly missed." she sounded professional, almost cold but that is how she handled pain, suffering, it was what she was taught, her father was a good teacher of what to do to survive.**

**Gibbs was now at his side, his hand now in Tony's, giving it a firm squeeze, " Rest Tony, we're here."**

**Tony nodded, he was tired, bone tired. He closed his eyes and drifted off.**

_**There could be more today..if you want more.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**Two days later**

**Tony was sitting up in bed, he has just refused another meal, his appetite was still not there. His abdomen was sore from vomiting so many times over the past few days and the sores in his mouth were causing too much pain to swallow.**

**A new IV site now adorned his neck, a triple lumen central line being used for blood work withdrawals, his antifungals and his sedative. The line had been a painful procedure but it was needed if he was going to be hospitalized for at least another week. Tony hated needles, really hated them so the line was atually worth the pain.**

**Dr Sanders had told him that he would be there at least that long due to his history of the plague and the condition of his lungs, definitely scared and right at the moment incapable of getting him across the room without going into spasms.**

**He felt bored, he was still groggy from all the meds but they always stopped them before meal time, to their disappointment it was of no use, food was not going down anytime soon.**

**He picked up the remote that McGee had accidently left lying on the bed, Gibbs would have his ass if he knew that he had been that careless. Gibbs last order was for his 'TO REST'. He smiled at the memory of the gruff sounding command and switched on the televison set. To his surprise his team was making the morning news.**

**Another mass murder of a Marine family near Norfolk, that explained the absence of the team this morning.**

**Even Abby was present at the crime scene, a reminder that he had not seen his favorite Goth, his friend, since his admission to the hospital. He wondered silently why she had ignored him, chose not to visit but then it dawned on him as she was videoed collecting the evidence, this case had become her obsession, children involved, Abby was on a mission.**

**Tim and Ziva were off to the right of the video and a incessant reporter was attempting to interview a very focused Gibbs, he couldn't help but to usue how long it would take for his boss to shove the microphone where the sun did not shine.**

**He was about to turn up the sound when in walked Nurse Karen, she was a bear when it came to protocols and he had been on the other end of her wrath more than once in the past few hours.**

"**Heard you refused your breakfast again. You know what that means?" Her military tone was evident, a female Gibbs.**

"**What, no candy for dessert?" He quipped, hoping that he didn't piss her off too much but knowing that he would, they didn't mix, Gibbs personality on a woman didn't blend well with his sense of humor and he did not like the commander one bit.**

**She was one swift marine, she had the remote with one swoop and she placed it well beyond his reach. "You need to rest, your body is weak Mr DiNozzo and I am in charge of making sure you follow the doctor's orders. Do we understand each other?"**

**He nodded, he would get back at her later, right now he was feeling too sick to fight back but that day would come and he would not be such a wimp.**

"**Good, I have some medication for you and I want you to sleep. Understand?" she pulled out the syringe and swiped the red port of the central line, the blue port had fluids infusing. After she inserted the syringe inserted the end of the syringe, emptying the contents slowly as not cause any nausea or waves of dizziness.**

**Tony knew not to argue and just nodded like a whipped pup, his time would come. He would show her what he was made of, _maybe._**

"**I will be feeding you your next meal so just rest for now." she smiled and lowered the head of his bed, adjusting his blanket and switching off the light, he would at least get a few hours sleep before they did a CT scan of his chest.**

**She watched as heavy eyelids closed and he was snoring softly again. Her patient worried them all.**

**She walked over to the needle box and discarded the used syringe then shook her head at the news this morning that the cultures came back negative for Valley Fever. What was going on with her patient? Dr Pitt was on his way back from Europe, he too was very concerned.**

**She dimmed the light in the room and left, unaware of the man exiting the bathroom. The man smiled, it was going just as he had planned for the man who had survived the plague.**

**Crime Scene **

**Norfolk, VA**

"**McGee! Get over here!" Gibbs yelled, the clue too important to wait for Abby to get inside the house.**

"**Yes boss!" Tim was now by his side and when Gibbs pointed he looked to see a clue that would send them into a tailspin.**

_**Yep, that is where I am leaving it for the day...maybe more later? Maybe.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**Norfolk, VA**_

**McGee had almost tripped over Ziva as he made his way back to Gibbs, "Yes boss." he answered as he got close to what Gibbs pointing at and by now Ziva was also seeing the new evidence, the evidence that pointed to a man who was more than just a trained killer but a man with a mission.**

"**Did we miss something at the first crime scene boss?" Tim asked, his mouth hanging open in shock.**

" **I'm calling Fornell to get eyes on DiNozzo. Get Abby inside." Gibbs ordered as Ziva snapped a picture and reached down with gloved hands to remove the framed picture that was still in the grasp of the young Marine's wife hand.**

"**I do believe the the hunters just became the hunted." Ziva remarked as she recognized their pictures, Abby's snapshot was also included. glued to the faces of the family who had just been murdered.**

**McGee was already calling the back up team at NCIS, they would need to go back to the crime scenes and recheck the scenes, see if they missed the clues before, or was it new, _damn, he was confused_.**

**Tim turned as he spoke on the phone to find Abby, the killer could be in the growing crowd outside. They were all targets now of a demented mind game of a heartless killer. He had to find Abby.**

**Bethesda Hospital**

**Room 363**

**The man made his way over to the bed, he looked down on the man whom he had read about, the man whom his focus had been on for the past six years. "Hello Anthony, I hope I'm not causing you too much discomfort." he patted the sleeping man's hand, smiling at his work.**

**He looked towards the door and pulled out a syringe, his tasks would be so much easier with the newly placed central line, so much easier. "This won't hurt a bit, I promise." he smiled as he emptied the contents into the IV line.**

**When he finished he slid the empty syringe back into his pocket, not wanting to leave any evidence behind, it would soon be time, but not yet. Gibbs couldn't miss the photo this time, he had placed it into the wife's bloody hand, there would be police here soon, lots of police. "Too bad they won't know the good guys from the bad guys." a smirk spread across his face, a sense of accomplishment filled his being, he was smarter than the smartest, his plan was almost assured.**

**He opened the door and exited the room, the room to which he had free access regardless of how many police, FBI agents or NCIS agents were placed, he would never be suspected, his record was clean.**

**One hour later**

**Nurse Karen entered her patient's room, it was time for the Cat Scan and she needed to get him ready.**

"**Mr DiNozzo, it's time to awaken." her voice rang through the room as she flipped on the light, the man who had been so sick just an hour ago was now sitting up in a chair, looking much better than he had in days.**

"**What are you doing out of bed?" she asked, surprised that his eyes were open wide and the sweat of an hour ago dry, no sign of fever present.**

"**Suddenly, I'm feeling a lot better. What's for lunch?" He was not lying, he was feeling better, a lot better. He had no explanation but whatever caused his quick recovery and it was nothing short of a miracle.**

"**First you are going to get a CT scan of those lungs of yours then I will gt you something to eat." she needed to call Dr Sanders too, she would need to see this with her own eyes.**

"**He's going nowhere right now." a firm voice spoke from the door, it was Fornell.**

"**Oh good, just what the doctor ordered, a shot of misery." Tony quipped as he saw the FBI agent's face. "What did I do Fornell? Kill a germ?"**

**Fornell smiled, that was funny, but he was there for business and he had to make DiNozzo understand. "Gibbs sent me here. Seems that he found a clue to what the serial killer really wants."**

"**What's that? A shot of Morphine?" he seemed a little confused as to why he needed the FBI agent's presence in his room but was in no mood for games.**

" **Seems the killer wanted to send a message, unfortunately your team might have missed that at the crime scenes." Fornell walked over and grabbed a chair and sat it beside of the agent in the chair.**

"**I'm confused." Tony became serious, this might involve the team, " Is Gibbs and the team okay?" he asked nervously now.**

"**They're fine DiNozzo but he or she left a clue, a significant one as to whom he or she is really after." Fornell continued.**

"**Dammit stop with the puzzle Fornell, what the hell is going on?" Now he was pissed, did the killer plan on doing something to the team?**

"**Gibbs found a picture framed with the family's portraits, each pasted over with images of your team, including Sciuto." he felt bad giving the man the bad news, especially considering the agent was having such a difficult time.**

" **What the hell? I mean, this doesn't make any real sense. A serial killer who takes lives in order to get to the real targets, that's nuts." he seemed to be attempting to put his mind into the mind of the killer but it just didn't make any real sense, unless, the killer became bored or lost interest in his initial intent or we were the initial target all along.**

**Nurse Karen saw the distress on her patient's face, she was still concerned regarding her patient even if he had such a drastic change in the past hour, his lungs still wheezed and his color was still pale.**

" **Mr DiNozzo, you need to get back into bed. Now!" Karen was not taking _no_ for an answer with this man, regardless of the present circumstances.**

**He looked up, suddenly drained of his fight, and acquiesced to the nurse's demands. "Sure." he attempted to stand but found his legs were still weak and suddenly both Karen and Fornell were assisting him back into the bed.**

**When Tony had closed his eyes to rest Fornell stepped outside of the room, he left Karen still assessing Tony's lines and drips, an FBI agent stationed at his bedside, he needed to call Gibbs.**

**Hours later**

**Bethesda Hospital**

**Tony had returned from his tests and the nurse, as promised, fed him his lunch but clear liquids aren't that appetizing and he lost interest when they reached the jello, green was never his color. At least he had appeased the commander though, she seemed satisfied that he had at least made an effort at eating after getting the news that he and his team were now targets of a serial killer.**

**Dr Sanders had been amazed at her patient's improvement, but still stuck with the diagnosis of Valley Fever, even though the cultures were reading negative, she thought they were false readings and continued to treat the symptoms as if he were infected with the nasty fungal virus.**

**Karen closed the door to her patient's room and was heading up the hallway when saw the msot frightening sight she had ever experienced as a nurse, a pigtailed goth running up the hallway, but Fornell flagged to her that all was fine.**

**Room 363**

**Suddenly he heard them, the unmistakeable sound of high lift boots and chains, his Abby was on her way to see him. A smile crossed his face as he sat up in the bed, then a thought crossed his mind, the agent just might shoot her mistaking her for a killer or worse, a groupie.**

"**Don't shoot the woman who is about to enter." he smiled at the agent who already had his gun out and aimed at the door.**

**The door flung open and there she stood, arms out and running towards Tony, "Tonnnnny! She wrapped her arms around him,, then began talking faster than his ears could listen.**

"**I'm so sorry I didn't come to visit but this killer has really got us worried and he was killing little children and I just wanted him to stop, I hope you understand Tony, I still love you the most, more than Tim or Ziva but maybe not as much as I love Gibbs or my pet Lizard Harold, but you do understand don't you?" her arms wrapped tightly around his upper body, his lungs unable to give him air enough to answer right away.**

**Then she realized how tight she was squeezing him and let go. "Sorry."**

"**It's okay Abby, glad to see you too." he pulled in a gulp of air and patted the bed for her to lie down beside him, which she did.**

**Gibbs, McGee and Ziva soon joined them, Abby had outran them all, including her bodyguard.**

**He couldn't help but to notice the missing forensic doctor and his sidekick, "Where's Ducky and Palmer?" his voice still raspy from coughing.**

"**Still at NCIS doing the autopsies on the family. It's been a long day." Gibbs looked rather tired, and he was in desperate need of a strong cup of coffee.**

"**You're looking better Tony." Tim noted, glad to see that Tony's health had improved over the past twenty-four hours.**

**Ziva just looked, visually assessing her partner, something wasn't right, but she just couldn't put her finger on what it was that wasn't right, maybe she was just overthinking it. "I'm starved! Does anybody want to order a pizza?" she stood to make the phone call.**

**Tony raised his hand but the glare from Gibbs made him put it back down, _quickly_. Everyone else, including the bodyguards were in agreement, it had been a while since they had eaten.**

**Dr Sanders Office**

**Dr Sanders sat in her office gleaming over Agent Anthony DiNozzo's chart, wondering whey there had been such a huge change in his condition. She had called in an infection control doctor, Dr William Asher. He had been Tony's doctor six years prior accprdomg to the medical records when he had contracted the Pneumonic plague. Actually, according to the records he had instrumental in Tony's treatment and wondered why Dr Pitt hadn't mentioned him. Anyways she needed his assistance, not wanting to miss anything regarding this very complicated patient.**

**Her phone was now ringing, she reached over and picked up the reciever, " Dr Sanders."**

"**Hey Christina. I have some bad news." it was Brad.**

" **Well, I have some good news. Our patient Anthony DiNozzo is doing much better," she couldn't wait to tell the worried physician.**

"**Wow, that is good news. But now for the bad, I am in a flight delay mode. Seems there is a volcano that is spurting out ash again and I can't fly until all is clear whichm at this point could be days." Dr Pitt felt that he was letting Tony down but at least he was doing better.**

"**Hey, get to a computer later and look at the recent CT of Anthony's lungs. You might want to do a bronchococpy on him soon, the scar tissue seems to have increased since his last CT a year ago." Dr Sanders wanted a follow up, but was not concerned about impending problems.**

"**Had to do that a couple of years ago, he hates that process. I'll tell him when I return." Dr Pitt recalled the last time he had to do an abrasion on his patient, he developed a case of pneumonia afterwards, it would be a task to get him to do it again but it was necessary.**

"**Doing okay otherwise, I suspect I will release him in a couple of days and send him home on an antifungal medication, probably oral Diflucan." she explained as she continued to look through his chart.**

"**Listen, I'm getting a lot of static, I'll call you back later when the reception is better." then the call was suddenly lost.**

**Dr Sanders knew that calling on a cell long distance was difficult enough during good conditions, now they had a volcano cloud blocking signals, that had to be heck. She would tell him about the infection control consult Dr William Asher when she talked to him again. She just wanted him to affirm the Valley Fever diagnosis.**

**Room 363**

**They had all left with their bodyguards except for Gibbs, he felt that Tony was more at risk, more vulnerable than the rest ot the team due to being in the hospital, he would stay with him until he was discharged.**

_**Well, enough for one day...maybe more tomorrow. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed, you guys rock!**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Room 363**

**Dr Asher entered the room with Dr Sanders, his patient was lying quietly in bed, accompanied by a bodyguard and his boss, Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs.**

"**Good morning Mr DiNozzo, how are you feeling this morning." DrSanders asked as she pulled out her stethoscope, ready to listen to Tony's lungs.**

**Tony opened his heavy lids to see his doctor and a man who looked familiar but he couldn't remember the name.**

"**I would be doing better if you called me Tony." he answreed, tired of being calling mister, that sounded too much like his father and he wasn't his father. He had already had the inner turmoil concerning his missing father, even wondered if he ws secretly married again, too busy to be bothered with a son he never got to know anyways.**

"**Tony it is then." she spoke it right before she started messing with every area of his body, the rash still sensitive to touch.**

**After she was finished she pointed to the man at her side, "Tony, do you remember Dr Asher. He's with infection control and did a lot concerning your case six years ago when you had the plague."**

"**I have to say I don't but I was really sick and I don't remember a lot." Tony answered truthfully, he didn't remember. Hell, all he could remember is coughing, trying to breathe, headache, fever and vomiting.**

**Gibbs, now standing beside Tony's bed, like a protective father, also didn't remember the man, and he had a pretty clear memory of Tony's hospitalization. He remained suspicious and quiet, he wanted to see what this physician was up to, something was off and his gut told him to pay attention.**

"**I assisted Dr Pitt in your diagnosis and treatment of your double pneumonia. Your xrays were incredible in that your lungs were so filled with fluid, and that you survivied such is just amazing." Dr Asher wanted his patient to believe what he was saying but he did notice a bit of confusion in the man's eyes, though it was a difficult time for the young man, he could tell that the man was attempting to find some recognition.**

"**Anyways I've called Dr Asher in to assist in confirming your diagnosis of Valley Fever. I want to make sure we haven't missed anything before I discharge you home. You are doing better Tony." a bright smile crossed her face ashse gave her patient the good news.**

"**I get to go home?" Tony attempted to hide his excitement but it was the best news he had experienced in a few days.**

"**Not today but maybe tomorrow. I did want to run a few more tests and Dr Asher wants to run some too, but if all points to Valley Fever I want to send you home with home health, who can come to your place to administer the Diflucan IV for a week." She gave the good news, keeping the results of the CT til the end.**

**Gibbs was happy for Tony but again his gut was saying that something wasn't right, something was off.**

"**What about his breathing treatments?" Gibbs asked, knowing that Tony's lungs were a problem too.**

"**Well, since his fever is doing better, I would like for him to continue the treatments as he did after he had the plague. The Cat scan did show some increased scarring of the lungs but Dr Pitt will schedule Tony for a procedure to decrease that. I believe you've had it done previously. Right Tony?" She continued, wanting to make sure Tony knew he would be coming back for the procedure after he was better from the Valley Fever.**

**Tony's bright smile disappeared, the thought of having to experience that procedure again wiped out all the good things he had just heard, he hated bronchoscopies, hated them with a passion. "Yeah, Right."**

"**I know it isn't pleasant but it is necessary in your case since you want to still be an agent." she gave him a sympathetic smile and continued, "I want to do some more blood work, a skin culture of the rash, and some pulmonary tests plus whatever Dr Asher deems necessary."**

" **Then I get to go home?" Tony questioned, his voice almost childlike.**

"**Like I said, if all turns out to be Valley Fever, the answer will be absolutely but if we find some other problem then we will have to keep you for a little while." she turned and headed for the door, but Dr Asher lingered behind.**

"**I would like to do a pulmonary biopsy, just to rule out any problems with the Vallley Fever being in the lungs, I'll put you to sleep for the procedure and it should just take about thrity minutes." Dr Asher explained, wanting to be able to get some time alone with his patient,**

"**Lung Biopsy? I don't like the sound of that, is there any other method? I mean I hate anything to do with going down my throat." Tony felt a little whimpy but he hated those procedures, anything that reminded him of his days of the plague caused his stress, even needle sticks.**

"**I promise you won't remember a thing, you'll have a little sore throat afterwards but that will pass quickly." Dr Asher smiled and started for the door. "I will see you in about an hour."**

**Tony looked over to Gibbs who seemed to be having a problem with the new doctor himself, then Tony asked the million dollar question, "You don't trust him?"**

"**I don't remember him." Gibbs only words that carried a lot towards how he was feeling about this new doctor.**

**And his answer, though short, gave Tony all the he needed to hear, no biopsy would be occurring today.**

**One hour later**

**Dr Asher stood in the small room awaiting his patient who was a no show. Had they figured him out, had they decided not to go with the procedure? He would call Dr Sanders, he needed answers, DiNozzo would not screw up his plan.**

**He ripped off his sterile gown and yanked the phone off the hook, he wanted his patient there now!**

**Room 363**

**The room stood empty. The patient was gone. Dr Asher looked around the room, it was if he had never been there, and inside he was screaming but he could not lose control, he had to wait for Dr Sanders to call him back, to give him the location of his patient, of Agent Anthony DiNozzo.**

**The poison he was inserting into the central line needed the next dose..he needed to find a way to give it to the man. He had been clever in the past few weeks, at each crime scene he found numberous methods to get it into his system, even poisoning the bottled water offered to him, it had been so easy. **

**Now he needed the larger doses, DiNozzo needed to die just like DiNozzo's girlfriend Wendy did years ago and then he would take care of Gibbs, the man who had caught his lover, the man who sat in the room while he was executed along side DiNozzo for a murder that had to occur, for a murder that Charles had admitted to so he could protect me.**

**Charles loved Wendy and he knew it was wrong, I had to kill her, she was the one person standing in our way of true love and I did what had to be done. _Charles took the blame, he died for me and now I need to return the favor, I've waited long enough._**

**Now it was their turn. They had to die, he had been patient, but now was the time. He would kill everybody they cared about, and that would be all of team Gibbs.**

**His fist slammed the wall in frustration of the set back causing a small crack in the plaster, the man was messing with his plan, and he would pay.**

**He left the room, he needed to find DiNozzo.**

_**More later...but the number one question...Dr Asher is definitely the bad guy but has Gibbs already figured this guy out...Well, good question and another question might be …..Did our Anthony go AMA? Sounds like him.**_

_**AMA (against medical advice)**_


	7. Chapter 7

**Dr Sanders office**

"**Where is he Christina? Charles was your brother and you miss him as much as I do. We're doing this for him, in his memory." Dr Asher yelled at the woman behind the desk.**

"**I never agreed to murder Bill. I only agreed to get you access to Agent DiNozzo." The tears in her eyes betraying what she felt inside, she wasn't a killer, she was a physician.**

" **We came here six years ago to work towards this very moment, You had access to his records, his tests, his on going therapies, this was our plan." Bill paced the floor, he was feeling out of control. He had been so patient all of these years to have this woman and her change of heart cause him problems now.**

"**I never came here to kill him, never!" she yelled at the man who seemed to be in a world of his own.**

"**But I did and you knew it, just as you've known that I am a killer. You are in this deeper than you know, because if I go down, you go down." he continued his pacing, he was furious as to what this woman was doing to his plan.**

" **Charles would have never condoned your killings. He thought he had stopped you when he pled guilty to your crimes. Don't you understand that he loved you, he wanted you to be happy and that is why he died for you." The tears now streaked down her cheeks, she feared the man in front of her, he in no certain terms had killed her brother too by not confessing to the crimes, instead he chose to blackmail her into a plan she did not want to be a part of from the beginning.**

"**He loved Wendy more, that is why I did what I did. Can't you understand he wanted me to kill her, he needed me to kill her so he could be free to love me." he hesisteated before speaking again, the anger raging inside of him, then he proceeded, but with an eery calmness.**

" **Your just like Charles and like him you are standing in my way of happiness." he reached into his pocket and pulled out a knife then it was back, the hate driven man of seconds before, " You are a selfish bitch!" again his voice was harsh and frightening, he quickly walked over to the petite doctor and cornered her behind her desk.**

**Suddenly she was hyper aware of the man before her, his gloved hands, the scrubs, his white jacket; he had come to kill her too.**

" **No, please don't." she pled for her life as she felt the knife slice through her chest, a hand placed over her mouth to muffle her screams. Within just minutes she was dead.**

**Dr Asher pulled back so as to not get her blood on his prestine white jacket, he wiped the blood off with the end of her dress and stuck it into his pocket. He walked calmly over to her desk, DiNozzo's chart was lying there in plain sight. He picked it up, feeling as though he was in control again of the man who had caused his lover's death. He calmly walked over to the door and exited, nobody saw him, not even the disabled cameras in the hallway.**

**Gibbs' House**

" **What I really can't believe Tony is that you were actually discharged." Abby's voice rang through the room.**

"**Yes Tony, that is very hard to believe when we all saw you so sick just a day ago." Ziva chimed in on the conversation.**

**Tony looked a little guilty but he had honestly got the discharge this time, his insurance company would be so proud of him.**

"**His doctor understood that he would do just as she said and Tony was a bit tired of the multiple tests." Ducky added.**

**Gibbs stood off in the corner, if they all knew the truth they would be more afraid for Tony but for now he would keep his suspicions to himself.**

"**So now what do we do, just hold up until the killer is caught or do we work on the case boss?" Tim asked as he worked on his computer at Gibbs' dining room table.**

**Gibbs turned to answer when his phone rang, he picked it up "Gibbs." and he listened for several minutes, the look on his face was more than enough to cause the room alarm.**

**When he ended the phone call he headed for the door,**

"**What's the matter boss?" Tony asked, his voice still raspy and low , he was wondering what news had been given to his boss that had caused such a reaction.**

"**Dr Sanders was found dead in her office, she was murdered." Gibbs opened the door, Tim following behind him, as was Ziva.**

**The room was silent now, all thoughts were on how close Tony had been to the killer.**

**Bethesda Hospital**

**Gibbs walked through the plethora of guards and agents, a murder scene never before seen at the hospital. The faces of the staff told him that she was well liked and respected.**

**He walked into the rather large office and saw the body lying behind her desk, a single stab wound to the chest and no murder weapon present.**

"**I want the body." he spoke it to Fornell who was taking notes as to the contents of her desk.**

"**It's not a NCIS case Jethro." Fornell camly spoke, "We both know that this could be related to any number of things."**

"**I don't think you are hearing me Tobias. She is DiNozzo's doctor, the last person to see DiNozzo at this hospital. I think it has a lot to do with the case we are working on and I think somehow she was involved." Gibbs was now eye to eye with the FBI man.**

"**She is a respected physician Jethro, this was personal. The wound signifies it, just ask Ducky," he turned to walk away but found a strong hand on his shoulder was holding him back.**

"**Please allow us to look, if I'm wrong I will give the results to the county pathologist." Gibbs' voice was almost pleading and Fornell could not deny him.**

"**I'll give Ducky the external autopsy only. You have six hours then she goes to County." Fornell then walked over to the county coroner to give him the heads up on the case.**

**Gibbs pulled out his cell to call Ducky, they had a body. H e would need Abby too. DiNozzo would have to come with them, he would be safer at NCIS.**

_**I am updating as fast AS I CAN. Hope your guys are liking the story...reviews are very welcome!**_


	8. Chapter 8

**The first thing Gibbs noticed was that Dr Sanders body was laid out on the autopsy table. Palmer and Ducky were busy at work, looking for evidence, since they were only limited to the external exam they needed to get as much information as they could. Then the second thing he noted was Tony laying on a table, blanket over him, pillow underneath his head, softly snoring.**

"**Did you drug him?" Gibbs asked, knowing Tony would never sleep on a autopsy table next to a dead body without drugs involved.**

"**Now Jethro what makes you think I would use barbituates or benzodiazepines to do what I can do with a simple request." Ducky replied, as he continued looking for clues on the body.**

"**Valium, five milligrams intraveously." Palmer chirped into the conversation.**

**Gibbs grinned, Tony would always be Tony, stubborn.**

"**Ahhh, and there it is!" Ducky spoke in an excited voice, "I think I have found our clue to who murdered our dear Dr Sanders." he reached down to get the tweezers from Palmer then reached into the lab coat still attached to the body, a single hair on the upper inner collar.**

**Palmer opened a specimen cup into which Ducky deposited the single dark hair. "Guess it could be a patient's but she would have had to come in close proximity for it to get into her jacket."**

"**Cause, Duck?" Gibbs asked as he checked on his senior agent. Tony was sleeping soundly, a combination of the Valium and the exhausting day combined with his diagnosis of Valley Fever.**

"**Single stab wound to the chest, it penetrated the aorta causing massive bleeding, there was instant death." he surmissed as he continued probing for more clues, they only had four more hours with the body and he had to make the best of it.**

"**Palmer, let's not waste time, get our clue to Abby." he ordered his tech, soon to be graduate from medical school, soon to be physician.**

"**Yes doctor." Palmer grabbed the bottle, labeled it and left the lab carrying his clip board and the specimen cup.**

**Gibbs waited a few minutes and walked closer to Ducky, "How's he doing?"**

"**He still has a low grade fever, cough and the rash. The nausea and vomiting have been absent since we arrived home, hopefully he is starting to turn the corner but I am concerned about the results of the CT scan, I worry about pneumonia, he is very susceptible with his lungs you know." Ducky changed positions and continued searching for more clues.**

**Gibbs nodded, he had heard the results of the tests that morning as Dr Sanders reported them to Tony, he knew that his Senior had a long road ahead of him in getting completely better.**

"**It will be a while before he awakens, so if you need to get something done, now would be an excellent time to do it Jethro." Ducky wanted his friend to know that Tony would be in the best of hands if he needed to get some work done.**

"**Thanks Duck, I'll be on my cell, call me if you need me." Gibbs directed as he walked of the autopsy bay to the elevator.**

"**Will do Jethro, will do." he took his gloved hands and removed the only piece of jewelry worn by the beautiful woman, a locket. He bagged the necklace and waited for Palmer to return, another piece of the puzzle needed to be taken to Abby, everything needed to be looked at as if it were a clue.**

**Bullpen**

"**What do we have McGee?" Gibbs asked as he walked to the widescreen, awaiting the information they had been working on regarding Dr Sanders.**

**McGee jumped up with the clicker in hand and started rattling off details regarding Dr Sanders and her life, "Dr Sanders was thirty-three years old, born in Baltimore, Maryland. She was one of two children born to Claudia and James Sanders. They also had a son named Charles."  
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"**Stop!" Gibbs recognized the photo, actually he recognized the man in the photo. "That's the man who killed DiNozzo's fiance'."**

"**Tony was engaged?" Ziva asked, surprised by this stunning news.**

"**When he came to work here, he was engaged to Wendy Carson. She was one of his many victims. Charles Sanders was a serial killer who thrived on killing familes." Gibbs answered, finally seeing a connection to Tony.**

"**Do you think that she was a killer too, a partner in crime?" McGee asked, seeing the pattern continue in the killings that the team had investigated.**

"**Never thought he did it, neither did DiNozzo, but the man confessed, described the killings in detail but something was off, way off." Gibbs continued, it was as if he turned off his mute button and became a talker.**

"**What do you mean Gibbs?" Ziva asked, her mind still reeling from the news that Tony had been engaged.**

"**He spoke about all the other victims as strangers but with Wendy, it was if he had a personal relationship with her, as if he loved her, it didn't fit the victimology pattern, it was off." Gibbs walked back over to his desk, he needed the file from the case.**

**Tim started for the elevator, "I'll get the file boss." Tim knew what to do, he could almost see the wheels turning in Gibbs head.**

"**It's okay Tim, it's in Tony's bottom drawer, he goes over occasionally, he often tells me his gut still thinks that he's missed something important." Gibbs rubbed his face, this case had just gotten more complicated.**

"**Guess his gut was right." Ziva whispered almost to herself.**

"**Right about what Ziva?" Tony asked as he came from the elevator with Ducky in tow.**

**All eyes landed on a very pale Tony, who looked very confused at the moment. But as he approached the bullpen he could not help but to see the man who had taken away the love of his life, Wendy Carson.**

**Ducky was immediately there for him, as was Gibbs, holding on to a man whose legs seemed to lose all strength.**

"**What did I miss Gibbs?" his only words.**

_**For those who haven't seen Baltimore yet, this might be a small spoiler and I do apologize. Wendy was mentioned only briefly.I do love the reviews, hope you like what you are reading.**_


	9. Chapter 9

**Tony was now sitting at his desk, going over the file that he could recite by heart, the graphic images a reminder of what he had lost so many years ago. His mind wondered what if their life had not been interrupted, what would they have now. Children? A home filled with music, Wendy loved to play the piano, her love for music still a part of him today.**

**Ziva looked over to her sick partner, knowing that the stress of the day was effecting her partner, it showed on his pale features, darkened circles underneath droopy eyes, his appearance which was usually perfect in every detail, was now imperfect with hair uncombed, a small shadow of a beard coming in, and his clothing loose and not a good fit, a result of his recent weight loss. She was worried for her partner.**

**Ziva followed Tony's eyes upward, a snapshot of Wendy filled the wide screen,**"**She was so beautiful Tony." Ziva stated the obvious, Wendy's picture was that of a young and vibrant woman with green eyes, reddish brown hair with flowing curls and a smile that could light up any room.**

"**She was even more beautiful on the inside." he returned, never taking his eyes off the image of the woman he loved, feeling that somehow he had let her down.**

"**Dr Sanders is the connection, her brother killed a lot of people Tony." Ziva started but was cut off by a very upset Tony.**

"**No, Charles Sanders couldn't have been the killer, he was protecting someone. The murders continued, they are still continuing and the connection is me. They want me dead, not the team, and if I 'm correct Gibbs' life might in danger too." Tony 's voice was low, contemplating the evidence before them.**

"**What makes you say that DiNozzo?" Gibbs interrupted.**

" **Charles Sanders was covering for someone, someone close to him, maybe a friend, maybe a lover." Tony laid the picture down and started to thumb through the file again, " Why would they kill Dr Sanders though?" Tony's voice was almost a whisper.**

"**I think I have the answer Dinozzo." Fornell's voice filled the area.**

"**What do you know?" Gibbs questioned before Fornell could agitate DiNozzo.**

"**DiNozzo's medical chart is missing. They've searched the entire hospital for it, it's gone and according to the medical records attendant, Dr Sanders signed it out to finish dictating." Fornell was now looking at the image on the screen, "Who's that?"**

**Ziva quickly grabbed the clicker and cut off the screen, "Nothing that concerns the FBI."**

"**So Fornell, you're telling us that whoever killed Dr Sanders did it to get access to the chart, my chart and it's just a coincidence that she is the sister of a serial killer who matches the MO of our serial killer. Wow, now there's evidence!" The sarcastic tone was evident,Tony was reacting out of anger, anger that his doctor was dead, that he felt that he had missed vital evidence years ago and that his life would have been so much better if Wendy had been a part of it. He felt as though he had screwed up the case years ago, let emotions override reason and now he had nothing except a career of being a lonely, under appreciated agent.**

**Fornell was caught off guard by Tony's tirade, confused as to what the younger agent was talking about but knew that Gibbs would fill him later, right now DiNozzo didn't look well and he would hold his tongue.**

"**DiNozzo, go with Ducky." Gibbs' voice was unusually soft, caring and Tony did not want to argue, he was too tired to argue, he just stood and allowed himself to be assisted by Palmer and Ducky to the elevator.**

"**Did I miss something?" Fornell asked as soon as the elevator door closed.**

**Gibbs tossed the file to Fornell who had a rather vivid recollection of the case, he had been part of the team that had caught the guy, along with Gibbs team. But his most vivid memory was that of DiNozzo seeing the last victim, the woman whom he was engaged to and from the reaction, loved very much. It was then it dawned on him, the picture on the screen was that of Wendy Carson.**

"**I'm sorry Gibbs, I should have remembered sooner." Fornell apologized.**

"**Help us to catch the killer Tobias, that will be apology enough." Gibbs answered as he started to work on getting the file of Charles Sanders incarceration, a list of his visitors and the women in his life.**

" **We already caught that killer Gibbs, Charles Sanders." then it dawned on him, he had missed the connection of the killer to the woman who had just been murdered, _he must be getting rusty_. "Or was he the real killer? That is the real question, right?" Tobias walked over to Gibbs' desk with the file in hand.**

"**You're finally catching up." Gibbs answered.**

"**Took me long enough." Tobias quipped as he started going through the file, taking a seat at DiNozzo's desk, hoping that the agent would not return to find him in his seat, that would be like throwing gas on a raging fire. "By the way Gibbs, tell Ducky the body is his to keep until he finds the answers he needs for this case."**

"**Already did Tobias...already did." Gibbs smiled at his friend, always one step ahead of the man.**

**Abby's Lab**

**Tony now lay on the futon in Abby's lab, Ducky did not want Tony to have to go through a gruesome autopsy of his physician, knowing the smells alone would cause him to vomit. But he was not sleeping, instead he was playing the case over and over in his mind, attempting to discover the clue that he had missed so many years ago.**

" **What did I miss Abs?" Tony asked as he looked up at his friend, running tests on the specimens that Palmer had brought to the lab.**

**Abby looked down at her sick friend, who shouldn't have been able to leave the hospital so soon, "You mean what did we miss? Remember I ran the tests, I take some of the blame."**

**Tears were shining in his eyes, he felt that his world had turned upside down, again. "I still miss her."**

**Abby smiled, grabbed Bert and walked over, getting down on her knees beside her friend, "I know Tony, she was a great person. I admit I was a little jealous of her at first, she had it all but just as with Kate I fell in love with her and she became a part of our little family."**

"**Seems like all the women in my life have come to tragic ends." he got really quiet and a tear rolled down his cheek, "I don't know what I would do if something happened to you Abs."**

"**That is why I carry pepper spray and a knife Tony. I feel the same way about you so you have to keep well and safe because I would die if anything happened to any of my Team Gibbs." She then reached down and gave him a kiss on his cheek and laid Bert beside him.**

"**You're my best friend Abs." he reached up and pulled her into a hug.**

"**Think that's against NCIS rules." Gibbs voice filled the lab.**

"**Oh Gibbs, we were just taking about the ...weather and we felt really bad that it's going to rain tomorrow." she jumped up giving Tony a wink and ran back over to her station where the ding of the computer could be heard. "Always on time Gibbs." Abby smiled over at her boss.**

"**Whatcha got Abs?" Gibbs glanced over at Tony, knowing that he would be needing a bed soon and the medication sent home with them, Ducky would be the one to administer the medication.**

"**No matches in our data base but I ran it through the national database and got a hit." she then pushed a button to bring up the picture of the person to whom the hair belonged, then their mouths dropped when the person who popped up was none other than the man whom Gibbs had not trusted, Dr William Asher.**

"**Is that our killer?" Abby asked, taking in the demeanor of her boss as he glared at the photo.**

"**Don't know Abs but he had to get pretty close to the woman to get a hair of his inside her white jacket." he pulled out his phone, he needed McGee and Ziva to bring in the doctor.**

**Tony was now up staring at the picture, leaning heavily on the counter and that is when he suddenly remembered where he had seen the man before, at the music store where Wendy bought her music. He had been there that day, the last place that Wendy was seen alive. He knew what he had to do and when the good doctor arrived he would do it.**

**Chapter 10 is on the way!**


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